Vulnerability in Kernel: Illegal APIC Register Access
Summary
GSD-2021-1000973: kvm: LAPIC: Restore guard to prevent illegal APIC register access. Affects Kernel versions >= 01402cf81051f796dac7c60ca11d6147153ca46a, < 018685461a5b9a9a70e664ac77aef0d7415a3fd5. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The Kernel is a crucial component of the Linux operating system that acts as a bridge between the hardware and software layers. It provides essential services and manages system resources. The vulnerability in question pertains to the Kernel's Local Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (LAPIC), which is responsible for handling interrupts on a specific processor core. The LAPIC registers can be accessed by both the Kernel and user-space applications. However, due to a missing guard, illegal access to these registers becomes possible, potentially leading to security breaches.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises from the absence of a guard mechanism in the Kernel's LAPIC implementation. This allows unauthorized access to APIC (Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller) registers, which control interrupt handling. An attacker with local access to the system could exploit this vulnerability to manipulate interrupt handling, potentially leading to privilege escalation or denial of service attacks. The impact and attack plausibility have not been proven yet, but the vulnerability has been identified and fixed in the Linux Kernel version v5.10.46.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As this vulnerability has been fixed in the latest version of the Linux Kernel, there is no specific workaround available. It is crucial to update to the patched version to mitigate the risk of unauthorized APIC register access.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in the Kernel's LAPIC implementation, which allowed illegal APIC register access, has been identified and fixed in the Linux Kernel version v5.10.46. Users are strongly advised to update their Linux Kernel to the patched version to ensure the security of their systems. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for Kernel →
FAQ
The Kernel is a critical component of the Linux operating system that acts as a bridge between the hardware and software layers. It provides essential services and manages system resources.
LAPIC stands for Local Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller. It is responsible for handling interrupts on a specific processor core.
APIC registers are registers within the LAPIC that control interrupt handling. They can be accessed by both the Kernel and user-space applications.
The vulnerability could potentially allow an attacker with local access to the system to manipulate interrupt handling, leading to privilege escalation or denial of service attacks.
The impact and attack plausibility of this vulnerability have not been proven yet. However, it is crucial to apply the patch to mitigate any potential risks.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for Kernel.
